Bag coupling



Patented Niel. 7, l1933 UNITEDl STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK RIEBEI, JR., ANI) DEWEY M. DOW, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO AIB- WAY ELECTRIC APPLIANCE CORPORATION, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE 'Application led May 28,

The present invention vrelating as indicated to an improved bag coupling, has more precise reference lto a novel form of coupling or Aadapter to engage with the inlet opening of dust collecting bags used in vacuumcleaner' construction. The form of coupling embodying the principleof the in- Vention is most particularly vcontemplated to be' used with a sanitary-porous paper dust collecting bag.v Heretofore a great amount of trouble andl inconvenience has been experienced with'bag couplings due to the fact that a satisfactory connection-could not-be obtained between the inlet mouth of the bag and the vacuum cleaner fan casing outlet. The chief disadvantage 'of suchcouplings existent in the Aprior art were that pockets and recesses in the bag mouth' were formed in such a manner that the. dirt and dust would collect therein .and a sanitary connection in a true sense ofthe word 4was therefore not obtainable.

Itis the general objectand nature of our present invention to provide a type of adapter or coupling. which will form a convenient and readily removable connection with the bag lmouth as well as to .render a secure, air-tight and sanitary joint. Further advantages shall becomey'a parent vas the description proceeds. To t e accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out inthe claims. v

Fig. 1 's a sectional view of one form of coupling embodying the principle of my invention; Figs. `2 and 3 are sectional views of-alternative forms of construction; Fig. g

4 is a section taken substantially upon line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an exterior plan view of the form of tapered outer sleeve employed in the form of construction shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is an exterior plan view of the form of inner tube employed in the constructions shown in Figs. 2 and 3.'

Referring more particularly to the drawing, our device consists essentially of the inner tube member indicated generally at l, havingl the outer tapered sleeve 2- fitted thereover with the threaded securing ring 34 BAG COUPLING HEISSUED adapted to removably secure the sleeve 2 in position. The inner tube 1 possesses a medial annular enlargement 4 which is adapted to be inserted within' the mouth of the inlet neck 5 of a filter bag. As shown in Fig. 1, the cylindrical extension 6 may be added to the inner tube l in order to accommodate a hose adapter.

The fan casing end of the inner tube 1 is interiorly bevelled as at 7 and has an external circumferential groove 8 which bevelled edge and groove are intended to facilitate engagement with a vacuum cleaner vfan casing outlet indicated generally at 10.

1931. Serial No. 540,525.

'- Positioned in the fan casing outlet 10 are the spring mounted ballretaining means 11 and the knurled thumb screw 12 which are adapted to engage with the circumferential i longitudinal notch-9 is provided in the tapered sleeve 2, opening-into the larger end thereof. The purpose of the notch 9 is to receive the laterally extending section of the ba neck 5.

. n order to minimize the number of sepa` rable parts employed in our device, the construction shown in Fig. 2y may be resorted to wherein an annular groove 14 and flange 15 on the ring 3 are adapted to permanently and rotatably engagein a complementary circumferential channel 16 on the inner end of the outer sleeve 2.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2, the sleeve 2 and ring 3 are shown securd toether with practically no longitudinal movement therebetween. In order to aid in forming contact of the threaded ring 3 with the threads on the tube 1 when the cuter sleeve is inserted thereover, the construction shown in Fig. 3 is employed. It will be seen that in suchvconstruction the annular groove 17 is much wider than the flange of the circumferential channel 18 on' tween the sleeve 2 and the ring 3. The last described type of construction otl'ers the furtheradvantage in that upon removal of the. outer sleeve 2 from contact with the conical portion 4, the ring 3 will be permitted to acquire a substantially' complete engagement with the threads on the tube 1. Since, upon installation of the bag coupling the sleeve 2 is wedged into contacting position, there will be required a certain amount of counteracting force in order to effect -a removal thereof. Tt will thus be seen that in the disconnecting operation of the construction of such shoulder 2() serves to act as a snubloing point which greatly increases the retaining Icontact of the coupling.

The outer edge of the tapered sleeve 2 is iared into the bell mouth 21 in order to serve as a guide when the sleeve is placed in position over the bag neck 5.

llt is to be noted that an annular space is formed between the sleeve 2 and the tube 1, extending axially thereof from the shoulder 20 to the ring 3, in those constructions shown in Figs'. 2 and 3, as contrasted with that shown in Fig. 1.

v This annular space serves to receive the constricted end portion of the paper bag neck and will allow the same to wrinkle longitudinally in order to conform to the.

constricted interior surface of the reduced end of the sleeve 2. Since a bag neck of sulhcient diameter to embrace the widest portion of the annular enlargement 4 must be employed,there will of necessity be a cer# tain amount of wrinkling in the end portion of the bag neck as it is contracted intothe restricted space within the sleeve 2. Employment of the construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3 provides a relatively narrow annular region of wedging contact between the sleeve and the annular enlargement 4 and this wedging contact is had in the region of the largest diameters of the co-acting members, where the bag neck will be stretched smoothly and Without wrinkles. This obviates any tendency of the wrinkled end portion of the bag neckto assume the burden of wedging connection between the sleeve and annular enlargement, which would result in a poorly sealed connection in which air and particles of dust could escape through the longitudinal channels formed by ksuch wrinkles.

aeooee The annular enlargement 4 is formed with a conical nose facing toward the projecting end of the coupling tube 1. Between this conical nose and the flared portionA 21 of the sleeve 2, or the projecting larger end of the sleeve, there is formed a bag neck receiving mouth which opens axially toward the projecting end of the coupling and which is flared both radially outwardly and radially inwardly so as to facilitate the introduction o'f a bag neck into said mouth. Tn applying a bag neck to the coupling, the projecting end of the tubel is first inserted into the bag neck and as the latter is pushed over the tube, the conical nose of the enlargement 4- will spread the .bag neck until the latter is engaged and again contracted inwardly by the projecting larger end of the sleeve 2. This is done while the sleeve is in a retracted position, and when the bag neck is in proper position, around the enlargement 4, the sleeve is moved axially into wedging engagement therewith and tightened. by means of the securing ring 3.

An advantage of the lost motion connection between the channel 18 and flange 15 shown in F ig. 3, in connection with a rela tively short coupling conduit removably attachable to a tan casing outlet, is that of facilitating the loosening of the Wedging connection between the sleeve and the bag. To this end, the coupling may rst be dissociated from 'the fan casing outlet and the securing ring 3 retracted toward the fan casing end of the tube 1 as far as the channel 18 will permit. The operator, by holdlng the sleeve 2 in one hand and striking a sharp blow with the other hand against the fan casing end of the tube 1, may loosen lecting apparatus, the neck of the outer bag v may be enclosed around the intermediate region of the sleeve 2 so as to embrace the same snugly, and the enlarged end of said sleeve will thence be snugly seated within the outer bag and will resist any tendency of the outer bag to recede axially from the coupling. Such a tendency will be caused by the stretching of the outer bag to accommodate the coupling, and is due to the resilient nature of the bag walls tending to pull back to a normal unstretched state. i

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of modes@ We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. A suction cleaner bag coupling lcomprising a tube forming a continuation of the fan casing outlet of said cleaner, an annular enlargement formed on said tube toward its projecting end, a sleeve encircling said tubebetween the fan casing and said projecting end, said sleeve being tapered outwardly toward said end and slidable axially on said tube, an intermediate region of the interior tapered surface thereof being adapted to Contact the exterior surface of said enlargement, `and means located between the fan casing and projecting end of said tube, to axially advance and securely hold said sleeve in engagement with a bag neck received between said sleeve and said enlargement.

2. A suction cleaner bag coupling comfan casing outlet of said cleaner, an annular enlargement formed on said tube toward its projecting end, a sleeve encircling ,said tube between .the fan casing and said projecting end, said sleeve being tapered outwardly toward said end and slidable axially on said tube, an intermediate region of the interior tapered surface thereof being adapted to contact the exterior surface of said enlargement, said enlargement being formed with a conical nose facing toward said projecting end of the tube and the larger end of the sleeve projecting over said nose when the sleeve engages the enlargement and forming therewith an axially opening, annular mouth, and means located between the fan casing and projecting end of said tube, to axially advance and securely hold said sleeve in engagement with a bag neck received between said vsleeve and said enlargement.

3. A suction cleaner bag couplingcomprising a tube forming a continuation of the fan casing outlet of said cleaner, an annular.

enlargement formed on said tube toward'the projecting end thereof, a sleeve encircling said tube between the fan casing and said projecting end,said sleeve being tapered outwardly toward said end and axially slidable on said tube to a position where a bag ck received between said sleeve and the enlargement will be engaged between the tapered inner surface of the sleeve and an axially narrow annular region of the outer surface of said enlargement, the outer portions of the sleeve and tube forming between them, an axially opening,- bag neck receiving L mouth, and means located between the fan casing and projecting end of said tube, to

axially advance and securely hold said sleeve 05 in such engagement.

prising a tube forming a continuation of the 4. A suction cleaner bag coupling comprising a' tube forming a continuation of the fan casing outlet of said cleaner, an annular enlargement formed on said tube toward the projecting end thereof, a sleeve encircling said tube between the fan casing and said projecting end, said sleeve being tapered outwardlyl toward said end and axially slidable on said tube to a position where a bagneck received between said sleeve and the enlargement willbe engaged between an intermediate region of the taperedl inner surface of the sleeve and the exterior surface of said enlargement, said enlargement being formed with a conical nose facing toward lsaid projecting end of the tube, and the larger end of the sleeve being formed with an outwardly flared portion projecting over said nose when the sleeve engages lthe bag neck against the enlargement, and forming therewith an annular, axially opening, -radially outwardly and radially inwardly Haring mouth, and means located between the fan casing and projecting end of said tube, to axially advance and securely hold said sleeve in such engagement.

5. A suction cleaner bag coupling comprising a tube forming a continuation of the fan casing outlet of said cleaner, an annular enlargement formed on said tube toward the projectingend thereof, a sleeve encircling said tube between the fan casing and said projecting end, said sleeve being tapered outwardly toward said end and axially slidable onsaid tube to a position where a bag neck received between said sleeve and the enlargement will be engaged between the sleeve and said enlargement, a radially inwardly opening'channel formed on the smaller end of said sleeve, and a securing nut threadably encircling said tube'and provided with a radially outwardly projectinor annular fiange swivelled in said channel, or moving said sleeve ,into bag neck engaging position.

6. Asuction cleaner bag coupling comprising a tube forming a continuation of the fanV casing outlet ofsaid cleaner, an annular enlargement formed' on said tube toward the projecting end thereof, a sleeve encircling said tube between the fan casing and said projecting end, said sleeve being tapered outwardly toward said end and axlally slidable on said tube to a position where a bag neck received between said sleeve and the enlargement will be engaged between the sleeve and said enlargement, said enlargement being cut away abruptly on its side toward the fan casing, to form an annular shoulder positioned to engage between it and the inner tapered surface of the sleeve the neck of a paper dust collectingbag, along an axially narrow, annular portion of said neck, an annular space being formed between the sleeve and said inner tube, extending from said shoulder toward the constrictlab ed end of the sleeve, in which space tbe bag neck is relatively free to form longitudinal corrugations in conforming to the interior of the sleeve, and means located between the fan casing and projecting end of said tube,

to axially advance and securely hold said sleeve in such engagement.

7. A suction cleaner bag coupling comprising a tube forming a continuation of the fan casing outlet of said cleaner, an annular enlargement formed on said tube toward the projecting end thereof, a sleeve encircling said tube between the fan casing and saidl projecting end, said sleeve being tapered outwardly toward said end and axially slidable on said tube to a position where a bag neck received between said sleeve and the enlargement will be engaged between the y sleeve and said enlargement, a. securing nut threadably encircling said tube adjacent the smaller 'end of said sleeve, and a lost motion rotatable connection attaching said nut to tl'oe small end of the sleeve, such as to allow limited axial movement of the sleeve relative to the nut, said tube terminating, beyond said nut opposite the projecting end, in a portion detachable from the fan casing, whereby a blow struck against the end of said portion While the Sleeve is being held, will serve to loosen wedging connection between said sleeve and the conical face.

Signed by us this 26th day of May, 1931. FREDERCK RlEBEL, JR. DEWEY M. DOW.

v:se 

